A viscosity-activated and tumor-specific NIR probe for precise imaging of cancer cells

Abstract

We developed DHX-Biotin-V, an NIR fluorescent probe that selectively detects viscosity with minimal interference from polarity or pH. It targets biotin receptors to enter tumor cells, where its fluorescence activates specifically in high-viscosity microenvironments. This probe enables real-time monitoring of intracellular viscosity, distinguishes between cancerous and normal cells, and provides specific tumor imaging in vivo, demonstrating significant promise for tumor diagnosis.